Quote:
Originally Posted by floydpink
I will never forget holding my father's hand as he lay in bed suffering through his final days of cancer. Imagining my little girl going through that gives me the chills.
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That, my friend, should run through your mind every time you think of a cigarette!!! I quit cold turkey 13 years ago after 12-14 years of smoking. Here's how I did it:
1) Don't buy cigarettes. If you don't have them, you don't smoke them. Don't bum them, either. Think of your daughter.
2) If your spouse smokes, have her quit with you. Then...think of your daughter.
3) Smoking is a habit. I eat bag after bag of sunflower seeds while driving long distances or sitting around at night bored. Keep your mind, mouth, and fingers active with other things. Then think of your daughter's kids.
4) For the first few months, stay away from places you used to like to smoke...bars, strip clubs, etc. You can go back eventually, but give it a while. Go places with your daughter.
5) Remember drinking and the dissolution of memory. If drinking, make it a point to not smoke, no matter what. Do this before you start drinking and continue to tell yourself you won't. If all else fails, think of your daughter.
The first 3-6 months are the absolute worst and you have to accept that. Don't dwell on it and pick up some other hobbies, etc. to keep your mind preoccupied. It gets easier then it goes away. Also, you have to realize that you will never, ever be able to smoke cigarettes again. Ever. One smoke erases all your hard work. You have to hate cigarettes and the best way to hate them is to analyze how much they cost, how they negatively impact your health, how they rob you of time to spend on the earth. After a while, you'll hate them.
When all else fails...pull out that picture and smile at your little girl. She wants you around for a long time!!!